A tow bar mounted bike rack is a secure option if you've got a good solid tow bar on your car, and the Thule EuroClassic G6 LED 929 3 Bike Towball Carrier is a fantastic alternative to roof mounted racks which can be tricky to load and can interfere with fuel consumption.

Thule are known for producing some of the most impressively engineered racks on the market, with designs for every possible type of mounting option. The 929 Euroclassic G6 is a flagship model, with a good number of bells and whistles and even more available as optional extras.

It's a three bike rack, but with the option of increasing the load by another bike if you use an additional adapter. It's made predominantly from aluminium, along with other high tensile materials to keep the weight down. It fastens onto the tow bar with a lever, which locks, to keep security and confidence levels high.

There's also a foot pedal to allow the carrier to be tilted out of the way if the boot needs to be opened while the rack is mounted, and a 'stop' prevents bikes from hitting the ground by accident in the process. Bright LED lights at the rear make this a very visible rack.

The 929 Euroclassic G6 comes with three detachable, adjustable arms for securing bikes, which also lock on to the rack using the same key that locks the rack onto the car. Another optional extra is a special arm designed specifically for oddly-shaped top tubes. The troughs for the bike wheels are detachable, and wheels are securely fastened in the troughs by means of plastic ratcheting straps.

Having used other tow bar mounted bike racks, I was genuinely impressed with how easy the Thule was to fit, both initially and thereafter. Set-up was a doddle, with only minor adjustment required around the tow bar attachment, by means of a simple thumb screw.

After the initial adjustment, for every fitting there was very little in the way of the usual balancing act while the rack gets fastened to the bar securely. The lever system was straightforward and allowed the rack to be secured very quickly, with virtually no requirement for physical strength. It locked on easily too, using the 'one key fits all'.

It was still heavy to move around in an absolute sense, but not unduly so, and was definitely manageable. The electric plug was a little bit fiddly. Once fitted, the whole rack felt secure and stable, with no wobble, and being nice and low (a bonus of tow bar mounted racks) it was easy to pop the bike into the wheel trough.

Another optional extra for this model is slide out ramps to replace the standard troughs, meaning bikes can be wheeled up- particularly handy if you are taking advantage of the 25kg per bike limit. The bars adjusted easily and secured to the bike with no trouble as well, also locking with the key.

On the move, there was no worry about the safety of the bikes; they were rock solid and not going anywhere, and didn't cause any noticeable drag. The locking frame bars and the lock on the rack itself gave reassurance at service area stops too, although a visible deterrent of a chunky lock applied just for the duration of the stop was still not a bad idea, for total peace of mind.

There's no denying that £475 is a lot of money for a bike rack, significantly more expensive even than others in the Thule range (like the RideOn or EuroRide), let alone cheaper brands, but this really is an absolute feat of engineering and design, and will last well, giving years and years of reliable service. It's also incredibly easy for just one person to manage on their own, unlike many bike racks.

Easy as anything to fit, load and then put away afterwards. Bikes were stable and secure.

Rate the product for durability:

9/10

Made from non-rusting materials so should last really well. No straps or bits to degrade. Replacaments and spares readily available anyway.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:

5/10

Not light, but it's incredibly solid and it's carrying your pride and joy!

Rate the product for value:

8/10

There are other racks available for much less than this one, including some other models from Thule, but this is the creme de la creme and should be seen as a real investment for those who use a bike rack often.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Exceptionally.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Ease of fitting and ease of use.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing.

Did you enjoy using the product? Very much.

Would you consider buying the product? Definitely.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes, without hesitation.

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

Top of the heap for towball mounted bike carriers. A real investment, but worth it if you can afford it.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 37 Height: 1.65m Weight: 67kg

I usually ride:My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, general fitness riding, mtb,

It's a Thule Xpress, cost about £40. Needs a separate lighting board, though, and to be fair it isn't very good at carrying multiple bikes. So my "perfectly functional" description of course depends on your definition of "functional" - if I wasn't idly trolling I'd probably have said "broadly adequate"

I've currently got 4 Thule 598 roof mounted carriers on our roofrack. I'm always taking bikes on/off a few times a week, and have been thinking about getting a towbar mounted one. My problem is I've invested so much ££ in the carriers and Thule aero bars that I won't see again, and its going to cost ££ for a rear rack, especially as I'll need the 4th bike adaptor.

I've got the cheaper euroride 943, pretty similar, but no foot pedal to tilt the bikes. It's brilliant, easy to fit and worked brilliantly taking three bikes to the Pyrenees and back last summer. I think it made about one mile per gallon difference with the rack on the towbar.
The 943 is about 230 ish. I put mine and my son's bike on it most weeks and it's so much easier than tucking them in a racket-y manner in the boot with the middle seat taken out... Highly recommended.

Cannondale CAAD10, Condor Terra-X and an orange Brompton.
Ride for East London Velo

Miscellaneous

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